UPDATE:
No fewer than 10 persons were reportedly burnt to death in the tanker explosion at the Sagamu interchange, along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State.
It was gathered that five vehicles were also burnt in the inferno.
An FRSC Official, Ogun Sector Command, Florence Okpe and Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the accident.
AKinbiyi and Okpe said the victims of the accidents were burnt beyond recognition.
According to them, the vehicles involved in the accident were: a Mack truck with registration number: AKL 198 ZT, an Iveco truck with no registration number, a Mazda bus marked, FFE 361 XB, an unmarked Howo truck, and the Mack tanker.
They attributed the cause of the accident to excessive speed on the part of the Iveco truck.
Okpe said: “The driver of the Iveco truck which was traveling at the top speed lost control and rammed into the tanker which resulted in the fire outbreak due to leakage.
“The suspected cause of the multiple crashes was excessive speed which led to the loss of control on the part of the Iveco truck and smashed the tanker body which resulted in fire outbreak due to leakage.
“The Mazda bus got engulfed in the spark of the fire.”
She added that the burnt bodies were taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.
“The Sector Commander FRSC Ogun Sector Command, Ahmed Umar has commiserated with the family of the victims after visiting the scene of the incident.
“He (Umar) also advised motorists to drive cautiously, obey traffic rules and regulations as well as consider each other while driving,” she said.
EARLIER REPORT:
A tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) exploded Thursday morning on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The Ogun Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) broke the news in the early morning hours.
According to FRSC, the explosion occurred at Araromi Town before the Interchange and is presently causing heavy traffic gridlock.
The explosion, it was gathered, sent motorists close to the scene scampering to safety, while security personnels are making strenuous efforts to bring the situation under control
FRSC advised motorists to make use of alternative routes to avoid unnecessary delays.
The statement reads: “The rescue operation is still on and the people involved are yet to be confirmed because a bus is also involved.
“The crash scene cordoned off to avoid secondary crash, traffic has been diverted,” the commission added.
It urged motorists to remain calm and cooperate with traffic managers as they try to manage the situation. Read more.